Posts: 203
Location: Germantown, WI | On Sunday 11/15 I caught my first sucker fish, a fat 37" on Pewaukee Lake. It was the only fish I saw all morning and it broke a fairly long drought that I had been having. I've caught many muskies on artificials, but this was my first on a live sucker. Since moving to WI 5 years ago I have been experimenting with suckers occasionally and up until now it has been a disappointing experience, but that all changed yesterday.
I was drifting a weedline in 10' of water and had blown up on a shallower spot where one of my suckers got fouled in the weeds. After clearing that sucker and pulling out beyond the weed edge again, I decided to check the other sucker line that was set at boatside with only about 4' of line out. As I picked up the rod and pulled the sucker into view I saw a musky following just inches behind it. I lightly jigged the sucker a couple of times, the musky grabbed it, and I set the hook. This all happened in a matter of a few seconds. I was quickly able to the net the fish and the rest is history.
It was nice to finally get the monkey off my back. I will definitely be taking suckers along the rest of this year and will fish them with more confidence.
In case anyone was wondering I was using a homemade quickstrike rig that is similiar to the Maina Lift Off rig, but instead of wire I use 80# fluorocarbon on the leader. The 3/0 hook was secured to a short section of thin single strand wire tied down at both ends with haywire twists. The strike and hookup were classic in that the rubber band broke with no effort and the fish was hooked in the edge of the lip.
Tom Ramsey
Member Milwaukee Chapter Muskies Inc.
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